FNF: Antonin Decarie vs. Shamone Alvarez & Jo Jo Dan vs. Steve Forbes RBR

Round 2

Dan unloads his right jab without any urgency behind it, taking very deliberate lateral paces and looking to line Forbes up with a well-timed left hand (and does land one). Forbes keeps pressuring behind his high jab but isn't landing much else, besides an odd right hand to the breastplate without much on it (and further dulled as Dan angles his body to roll with it). Dan lands a lead left to the body. Forbes becomes more tentative, and puts out the left stick from long range. They parry jabs and then clinch. Dan double jabs and then hops out of the pocket. Clinch again. Forbes tries a high 1-2 that Dan blocks while leaping backward and out of the way. Dan catches Forbes on the chin with the very tip of a 1-2, just grazing. Dan ducks a Forbes 1-2, and Forbes keeps shoeshining and missing on the inside.

It still has a feel-out vibe. Forbes was less effective.

 

Round 3

More of the same. Forbes advances and is busy with his left jab; Dan is very economical and plods away, timing Forbes with infrequent straight counters off the back foot. Dan starts picking up the pace with his right jab and really putting his back into it, backing Forbes up a little. Dan is landing left hooks to the body coming forward as they clinch up a few times. They trade underhand body blows, swinging their arms like croquet mallets. Forbes has a 1-2 parried by Dan's casually lingering lead right hand. Dan comes forward with a three punch combo and Forbes rips him with a check hook across the face. Big shoeshine to the body lands for Forbes as Dan tries to aim high with his straight headshots. Dan drives him back with a double right jab.

Damn. That was on its way to being a Dan round but Forbes came on strong trying to steal it in the last thirty seconds, SRL style. :think

 

Round 4

Forbes is coming forward a bit recklessly now, falling into clinches as he jabs and yo-yos his way forward. Dan is picking him off with hard counters but not keeping him away with them, getting hit himself and then clinched up every time Forbes rushes in. Forbes lands a LOUD hook to the ribs. Right hand to the body by Forbes and Dan ducks a follow-up hook. They clinch up a few times and the ref is calling for quick breaks. Forbes is pawing with his jab and looking to line up a big right to the body, but having them glide off Dan's chest. Dan pushes Forbes back with his own hard left to the body. Forbes is slapping away to the body from either side with his hands down as he backs up. Dan drives him into a corner with a double right jab. Forbes pushes his way off and they clinch.

This is not a FOTY candidate so far...

 

38-38 btw.

Teddy Atlas has it 39-37 for Dan.

 

Round 5

Dan is still losing the jab battle and indeed getting hit often with the left jab - and his face is a little flush for it, but he's leaning on Forbes and grinding him on the inside with his strength and getting body shots in. Dan starts to hurt Forbes with hooks to the body. Forbes comes right back with a quick lead right hand, partially caught on Dan's left palm. Forbes keeps falling in with that lead right and having Dan catch it in his mitt.

49-48 Jo Jo Dan

 

Joe Tessitore: A lot of Americans feel that Hopkins did win. What is your reaction to that reaction?

Jean Pascal: He no get robbed!

WTF is he doing asking a complex question of somebody whose English is limited during a brief between-round interview? :roll:

 

Round 6

Head clash. Forbes is cut.

We will go to the scorecards for a technical decision.